Rep. Lindsey Prather

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to allocate $2,178,000 in state funds to hire at least 25 additional Adult Protective Services workers across North Carolina counties starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The money is intended specifically to cover salaries and benefits for new staff who will investigate reports of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, with distribution based on factors like case volume and the number of seniors in each area. The legislation explicitly prohibits using these funds to replace existing staff or for any purpose other than paying the new workers. Although the bill was withdrawn from committee in May 2026, its primary function is to increase state funding for local social services agencies to address a growing demand for elder abuse investigations.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $6 million in state funds to expand two food assistance programs in North Carolina for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The first $4 million supports FarmSHARE, which provides grants to buy locally grown food and distribute it for free to food-insecure individuals and households. The second $2 million funds the Double Up Food Bucks Program, allowing people receiving nutrition assistance to use their benefits to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets and other local retailers. Both programs require the state department to submit annual reports detailing participation numbers, distribution metrics, and financial data to legislative oversight committees. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1193, known as the Mike Clampitt Bone Marrow Donation Act, designates November as Marrow Donation Awareness Month in North Carolina. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Motor Vehicles to promote bone marrow donation by posting public service announcements online and displaying them at driver license offices. Additionally, the legislation appropriates $100,000 to fund a state-wide public awareness campaign for this initiative, with the law taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 433 allows licensed registered nurses (RNs) to serve as school nurses in North Carolina public schools. The bill prohibits the State Board of Education from requiring a four-year degree for school nurse employment. It specifies that RNs with at least two years of experience in a hospital or health clinic can work as school nurses without needing additional certifications or licenses. These qualified registered nurses will be paid under the certified school nurse pay scale.

Maddy summaryHB 1191, titled the Fostering Care in NC Act 2026, introduces several changes to how North Carolina handles cases involving juveniles and child welfare. The bill increases privacy protections by sealing court records in abuse and neglect cases and clarifying who can access them. It also updates procedures for expunging names from the responsible individuals list and requires courts to schedule permanency planning hearings within 30 days. Additionally, the act mandates that siblings be placed together whenever possible and ensures counties communicate before transferring cases to improve coordination on care and financial support.

Maddy summaryHB 1197 updates the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program by increasing forgivable loan amounts for future students and establishing stricter criteria for selecting partner teacher training institutions. Under the new rules, eligible students can receive up to $10,000 per academic year, while the program will only partner with schools that meet specific performance standards, such as high licensure pass rates and alignment with the Science of Reading. Additionally, the bill mandates a study by the Friday Institute to investigate why some participants choose to repay their loans in cash rather than fulfilling their service obligations. These changes are set to take effect for the 2026-2027 academic year, with previous program revisions applied retroactively to current participants.

Maddy summaryHB 1184, known as the Voucher School Transparency Act, requires nonpublic schools in North Carolina that receive Opportunity Scholarship funds to submit detailed annual reports to the State Board of Education. These schools must provide financial documentation, standardized test scores for students in grades three and higher, and specific data on graduation rates, teacher licensure, and student demographics. The bill also mandates that schools with at least 70 scholarship recipients or $100,000 in funding undergo annual financial audits, while smaller schools are audited every three years. Additionally, the legislation requires these institutions to conduct criminal background checks for staff, maintain physical facilities within the state, and share safety plans with local law enforcement.

Maddy summaryHB 1207 establishes a state grant program to help North Carolina municipalities prepare for and respond to winter snow and ice events. The bill allows local governments to receive up to 75% reimbursement for purchasing snow removal equipment, hiring private contractors, and covering operational costs like fuel and staffing, provided they also contract with private companies within the state. To ensure accountability and transparency, the program requires all funded vehicles to be equipped with cameras and GPS trackers, and participating municipalities must publish a real-time map showing their snow clearing progress. The legislation appropriates $20 million for initial equipment purchases, $10 million for ongoing operational costs, and $5 million to create a reserve of salt and brine for distribution to local areas in need.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a two-year pause on issuing permits for new datacenters in North Carolina, which are defined as facilities with a power capacity of 100 megawatts or more. During this moratorium, a university research group will study the potential impacts of these facilities on the state's electricity grid, water supplies, air quality, and local property values. The legislation also requires datacenters to annually submit detailed financial and operational reports to the state to receive tax exemptions on their equipment purchases. Additionally, the Department of Commerce must report the total revenue lost to the state due to these tax breaks to the General Assembly.

Maddy summaryHB 1209 appropriates $1 million in recurring state funds starting in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to expand the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program. The money is directed to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to provide embedded instructional coaching and professional development for beginning teachers within local school districts. Key provisions include partnering with teacher training programs to extend support after graduation, aligning coaching with evidence-based practices, and prioritizing high-need rural areas to help retain new educators. This legislation aims to create a more coherent system for teacher development by connecting pre-service training with ongoing in-district support.